Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-07
STONEMAN.
He Delivers His Last Mes.
sage.
THE TEXT OF THE DOCUMENT.
The Irrigation, Viticultural, Rail-
road Tax and Other Questions
Considered.


Spectas to the Herald bv the Assocfaled Press
SACRAMENTO. January 6.-Governol
stoneman in his message to the Legis
)ature transmitted to-day, makes mum
Der of recommendations. The document
is quite lengthy and considers all ques.
tions Of interest to the State. Among
the more important are the following:
RAILROAD TAXES.
The CONTROLLERS report gives full,
clear and cogent statement Of the facts
upon the much agitated question of rail.
road taxes, with details concerning the
course and consequences of the me .sures
taken to enforce their payment. 1t con.
tains also exhaustive tables of the
amounts assessed, received and delin.
quent during the past six years. It has
been the earnest endeavor of the ad.
ministrat on to bring this matter so long
at issue between the state and certain
corporations to final decision
as soon as possible before the Supreme
Court of the United States. With that
object in view / addressed letter to
that court, dated November 25th, 1885,
that the cases pending be.
tween these two litigants should be ad.
vanced upon the calendar. An early
hearing followed; decision was rem.
dered against the State, but not upon
the living, vital question Of the validity
Dr. constilutionality of our revenue sys.
tenn as applied to the taxation of railroad
but upon q side or technscal
point raisediby the defendants, the rail.
road corporations. As l have had no
upon the point from the
egal department of the government,
[ can give you ne information as to the
probable time when these cases are
likely to be decided on their main issues
by the Slpreme Court of the United
States. The amount OF taxes due by
The Central and Southern Pacific Rail.
roads and branches for the years 1880,
1881 and 1882 was 81, ,O29, ,675.57. OF
this amount there was paid to Attorney.
1enaral Marshall, and by him paid to
the State and various county treasurers
i'm the way of partial payment) the sum
Of $40, 476 0S, besides other settlements
which added to this, leaves unpaid for
these years the sum of $4l6, 252. 2S, as
shown by reports on file in the Con.
lroller's office. The total amount thus
paid in by the Attorney. General under
some arrangement or compromise with
The railroad corporations, amounts to
s76S, ,657 81, from which, deducting ex.
press charges, the net amsunt paid into
The treasury was $76S. 273 25. As far as
The powers of the Legislature can rene.
1y this condition Of things, my
has been reiterated
IN previous messages that the most
Itringest and effective laws should be
enacted for this assessment and collec-
ion of taxes from all taxpayers, wheth.
,r individual or corporation. The con-
roller reports that for 1883, the amount
delinquent upon the above system of
'oads was S555, ,62S. 46, of which there
las been paid 1888. 377.l leaving yet
unpaid 1922. 25l 33. For 1884, the
mount was 1868, 373l2, of which
1929. $40. So has been paid. leaving yet
lue 1929, ,S52. 40. For 1885, upon the
'oads, comprising most of the above
Iystem, no part of which has been paid,
here is due S72O, 7O3.3l. The whole of
The tax for 1886 amounting to $685.
$50. Is is now due.
vITICgLrURE.
Viticulture has passed beyond its ex.
perimental stages in California, and is
now entering upon an era of progress
that is gratifying to the pride of those
engaged in it, as well as hopeful for the
of the State ct large. Its
highest possible achievements are not
yet known to the general public, but
are fully realized by those who have
been carefully watching the results of
the tentative efforts begun in an exper.
mental way, and intelligently directed
and encouraged by the State, especially
the efficient methods devised by
the State Viticultural Commission. The
future prosperity of California depends
largely upon viticulture as q means to
utilize the vast areas of our agricultural
resources.
The work inaugurated by the State to
advance the material prospects OF those
Of our citizens now engaged in wine.
growing and its dependent industries is
likewise intended in good faith to afford
needed assistance to many inexperienced
people, thereby contributing to the well
Fare of all classes who are directly or in
directly interested in the success of
hose Industries for which our State is
adapted. All honorable in.
lustries of the people are entitled to
;he careful consideration and solicitude
VI the State and National governments,
md for this reason this industry is fur.
;her commended, not only to the Legis-
ature of this State, but also through
1our action and that of the officers ap-
pointed under your laws, to our National
Congress in all matters that pertain to
Is further encouragement and protection
against vicious and dishonorable manu-.
acture and trade.
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
The State Board of Equalization in
heir report say that Assessors and Su.
should be made to understand
hat so far as taxation is affected they
ire the servants and agents of the State.
There should be no trihing or juggling
with the law to suit the views of every
Assessor or Supervisor. Let the theory
,f the subjection of revenue officials be
into a distinct and positive
provision of the codes. The board
request the Legislature to pro-
vide some means by which they can
obtain such information as they desire
in relation to the revenue service.
They are often in need of infor.
nation which may or may not be
given, as the courtesy or public spirit of
the officers may permit. For instance,
when assessing the various railroads
they desire to ascertain the amount of
the assessment of land, houses and per.
sonal property of the various railroad
made by the Assessors or the
miles of telegraph lines, but have no
power to enforce their wishes. While it
is true that there is q penalty in the ma.
ture of q criminal action for neglect of q
legal duty, yet there should be q more
general statement of the duties of Aadit-
ors and Assessors in relation to the board,